Understanding Deer, Bear, and Forest Trends in the North Georgia Mountains: The Value of Long-term Data

Most state wildlife agencies collect harvest data to inform management decisions. However, these data are typically considered across relatively short time periods and are rarely revisited. We present a case study using historical records to investigate potential agents (i.e., harvest, predation, and forest change) influencing the declining white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population in the north Georgia mountains. We used long-term black bear (Ursus americanus) and deer harvest data, and indices of forest stand conditions from 1979–2015 on eight Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the north Georgia mountains. During 1979–2015, harvest of male and female deer declined by 85% and 97%, respectively. Over the same time period, mean yearling male deer body weight increased by 21%, mean antler diameter increased by 62%, and mean antler beam length increased by 92%. We observed a 97% reduction in availability of early successional forests (0–10 years old) and a 53% increase in volume of large diameter (\u3e27.9 cm) oak species, suggesting increasing homogeneity/maturation of forest stands across all eight WMAs. Concomitantly, the U.S. Forest Service increased the acreage under prescribed fire management from 2,916 to 5,629 ha during 2003–2015. Black bear populations grew at an annual rate of 1.07 for males and 1.08 for females. Our analyses indicated that despite the reduction in early successional habitats as illustrated by the reduction in young forests (0–10 years old), deer condition indices have improved suggesting that a habitat-driven change in fecundity was not the likely primary driver of the deer population decline. However, increasing fawn predation, coupled with a decline in available fawning cover may be reducing recruitment rates and should be investigated as potential causes for the observed population decline. Our research also illustrates the importance of maintaining longterm data, especially the value offered to evaluate trends over time

Efficacy of novel recombinant fowlpox vaccine against recent Mexican H7N3 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus

Since 2012, H7N3 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has produced negative economic and animal welfare impacts on poultry in central Mexico. In the present study, chickens were vaccinated with two different recombinant fowlpox virus vaccines (rFPV-H7/3002 with 2015 H7 hemagglutinin [HA] gene insert, and rFPV-H7/2155 with 2002 H7 HA gene insert), and were then challenged three weeks later with H7N3 HPAI virus (A/chicken/Jalisco/CPA-37905/2015). The rFPV-H7/3002 vaccine conferred 100% protection against mortality and morbidity, and significantly reduced virus shed titers from the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. In contrast, 100% of sham and rFPV-H7/2155 vaccinated birds shed virus at higher titers and died within 4 days. Pre- (15/20) and post- (20/20) challenge serum of birds vaccinated with rFPV-H7/3002 had antibodies detectable by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay using challenge virus antigen. However, only a few birds (3/20) in the rFPV-H7/2155 vaccinated group had antibodies that reacted against the challenge strain but all birds had antibodies that reacted against the homologous vaccine antigen (A/turkey/Virginia/SEP-66/2002) (20/20). One possible explanation for differences in vaccines efficacy is the antigenic drift between circulating viruses and vaccines. Molecular analysis demonstrated that the Mexican H7N3 strains have continued to rapidly evolve since 2012. In addition, we identified in silico three potential new N-glycosylation sites on the globular head of the H7 HA of A/chicken/Jalisco/CPA-37905/2015 challenge virus, which were absent in 2012 H7N3 outbreak virus. Our results suggested that mutations in the HA antigenic sites including increased glycosylation sites, accumulated in the new circulating Mexican H7 HPAIV strains, altered the recognition of neutralizing antibodies from the older vaccine strain rFPV-H7/2155. Therefore, the protective efficacy of novel rFPV-H7/3002 against recent outbreak Mexican H7N3 HPAIV confirms the importance of frequent updating of vaccines seed strains for long-term effective control of H7 HPAI virus

Resource selection of deer hunters in Georgia\u27s Appalachian Mountains

White‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and hunters on 2 Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) within the Chattahoochee National Forest of northern Georgia, USA, significantly declined in number from the 1980s to 2018. Managers were interested in understanding how they could manipulate hunter distribution according to deer management goals. To understand the spatial distribution of hunting pressure and factors driving hunter resource selection, we analyzed GPS tracking data from 58 deer hunters over the 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 hunting seasons. We evaluated hunter selection on 3 spatial scales relative to elevation, slope, and distance from roads, trails, wildlife openings, deciduous forest, mixed forest, and evergreen forest. We incorporated covariates into 6 binary logistic regression models, plus a null model, within a used versus available framework. First, we compared hunter locations to available locations generated within the 2 WMAs. Elevation and distance to deciduous forest had the greatest effect on hunter selection, where hunters selected for lower elevations and closer proximity to deciduous forest. Second, we compared individual hunting bout locations to available locations generated within a buffer around the hunter\u27s starting location with a buffer radius equal to the maximum distance they travelled from their starting location. At the bout scale, distance to wildlife openings and elevation were the most important drivers of hunter selection; hunters selected areas closer to wildlife openings and higher elevations. Third, we compared individual hunter stand locations (used) to randomly selected locations along the hunter\u27s travel path (available). Only distance to roads and deciduous forest were significant in explaining hunter selection of stands. Hunters chose locations farther from roads and closer to deciduous forest relative to their travel paths. Mapping our WMA‐scale results revealed that only 5% of the total WMA area contained a greater relative probability of hunter selection compared to the probability of non‐selection. Our results suggest that vast refuge areas for deer likely existed on the WMAs during our study period. Manipulating hunter distribution is not necessary to aid in sustaining deer on either WMA at this time

White-tailed deer (\u3ci\u3eOdocoileus virginianus\u3c/i\u3e) fawn survival and the influence of landscape characteristics on fawn predation risk in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, USA

In the Southern Appalachian region of the United States, harvest data has indicated the occurrence of low deer densities while exposing a trend of declining white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations over the past several decades in northern Georgia. A triumvirate of increasing fawn predator populations reside in the Southern Appalachian Mountains including coyotes (Canis latrans), black bears (Ursus americanus) and bobcats (Lynx rufus). This region is also characterized by a homogenous landscape composed of mature forests and sparse understory vegetation, likely lacking adequate cover to offer fawns refugia from predators. Our objectives were to estimate survival and cause-specific mortality rates of fawns while assessing a possible link between mortality risk, intrinsic fawn characteristics (i.e., birth mass, Julian birth date, sibling status), and landscape features within fawn usage areas. During 2018–2020, we radio-collared 71 fawns within the Chattahoochee National Forest of northern Georgia, USA and monitored survival to 12 weeks of age. We observed low fawn survival (cumulative = 0.157, 95% CI = 0.091–0.273; vaginal implant transmitter = 0.196, 95% CI = 0.096–0.403) with predation as the leading cause of all known mortalities (45 of 55 mortalities; 82%) due primarily to coyotes (n = 22), black bears (n = 12), and bobcats (n= 7). Relationships between landscape features and fawn predation risk were minimal with only one informative covariate. Increasing amounts of early successional land cover within fawn usage areas decreased fawn mortality risk within the first 20 days of life, but elevated mortality risk thereafter. All fawns with any amount of early successional land cover in their usage areas died of predation (n = 13) at various time intervals, suggesting limited areas of potential fawning cover may be targeted by predators. However, fawn predation risk seemed to be high regardless of landscape covariates due to the limited number of surviving fawns. Coyote-caused mortality occurred over a longer period at a consistently higher magnitude than all other forms of mortality, indicating possible delayed prey-switching behavior and coyote predation as an important factor of fawn survival. The low recruitment of fawns influenced by high predation rates and homogenous habitat conditions is likely the cause of deer population declines in the region

Understanding Deer, Bear, and Forest Trends in the North Georgia Mountains: The Value of Long-term Data

Most state wildlife agencies collect harvest data to inform management decisions. However, these data are typically considered across relatively short time periods and are rarely revisited. We present a case study using historical records to investigate potential agents (i.e., harvest, predation, and forest change) influencing the declining white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population in the north Georgia mountains. We used long-term black bear (Ursus americanus) and deer harvest data, and indices of forest stand conditions from 1979–2015 on eight Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the north Georgia mountains. During 1979–2015, harvest of male and female deer declined by 85% and 97%, respectively. Over the same time period, mean yearling male deer body weight increased by 21%, mean antler diameter increased by 62%, and mean antler beam length increased by 92%. We observed a 97% reduction in availability of early successional forests (0–10 years old) and a 53% increase in volume of large diameter (\u3e27.9 cm) oak species, suggesting increasing homogeneity/maturation of forest stands across all eight WMAs. Concomitantly, the U.S. Forest Service increased the acreage under prescribed fire management from 2,916 to 5,629 ha during 2003–2015. Black bear populations grew at an annual rate of 1.07 for males and 1.08 for females. Our analyses indicated that despite the reduction in early successional habitats as illustrated by the reduction in young forests (0–10 years old), deer condition indices have improved suggesting that a habitat-driven change in fecundity was not the likely primary driver of the deer population decline. However, increasing fawn predation, coupled with a decline in available fawning cover may be reducing recruitment rates and should be investigated as potential causes for the observed population decline. Our research also illustrates the importance of maintaining longterm data, especially the value offered to evaluate trends over time

Clinical presentation, convalescence, and relapse of rocky mountain spotted fever in dogs experimentally infected via tick bite.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a tick-borne disease caused by R. rickettsii in North and South America. Domestic dogs are susceptible to infection and canine RMSF can be fatal without appropriate treatment. Although clinical signs of R. rickettsii infection in dogs have been described, published reports usually include descriptions of either advanced clinical cases or experimental infections caused by needle-inoculation of cultured pathogen rather than by tick bite. The natural progression of a tick-borne R. rickettsii infection has not been studied in sufficient detail. Here, we provide a detailed description of clinical, hematological, molecular, and serological dynamics of RMSF in domestic dogs from the day of experimental exposure to infected ticks through recovery. Presented data indicate that neither the height/duration of fever nor detection of rickettsial DNA in dogs' blood by PCR are good indicators for clinical prognosis. Only the apex and subsequent subsidence of neutrophilia seem to mark the beginning of recovery and allow predicting a favorable outcome in Rickettsia-infected dogs, even despite the continuing persistence of mucosal petechiae and skin rash. On the other hand the appropriate (doxycycline) antibiotic therapy of sufficient duration is crucial in prevention of RMSF relapses in dogs

Bilateral testicular inflammation developed two weeks after the completion of a 16-day doxycycline treatment.

<p>Bilateral testicular inflammation developed two weeks after the completion of a 16-day doxycycline treatment.</p

IgG antibody titers in dogs infected with <i>Rickettsia rickettsii</i>.

<p>Shaded area marks the period of antibiotic treatment in dogs 424 and 664.</p